Slow down at schools

NO SPEEDING: School zones in Wodonga will be a focus for road safety with a new electronic warning system to be installed by Wodonga Council.

Parents dropping their children off at school in Wodonga will soon have no excuse for speeding through 40km/h zones.

Wodonga Council will trial an electronic warning system at school crossings, with signs and lights set to alert drivers when a supervisor and children are in the crossing.

It is part of a plan between the council and Victorian government to get drivers to slow down around school crossings.

The initiative comes as crossing supervisors reported 27 near miss incidents in the past 12 months, as traffic volumes increased in the area.

Northern Victoria MLC Jaclyn Symes, this week announced a $50,000 community grant to support the road safety campaign called “Don’t Run Me Over”, a push to ensure drivers obeyed stop signs and stay below 40km/h near school crossings.

“One near miss is one too many, that’s why the Andrews Labor Government is funding innovative community projects like this to drive home the road safety message,” Ms Symes said.

“There is absolutely no excuse for driving in excess of safe speeds in local streets and around schools.”

There is absolutely no excuse for driving in excess of safe speeds in local streets and around schools.

Northern Victoria MLC Jaclyn Symes

The council was also developing three safety videos to address the issue and planned to promote them on a dedicated campaign website.

Funding was granted to Wodonga Council because the electronic warning system was judged to be a “creative, grassroots project” which could attract the full amount of $50,000 available through the innovation grants.

The project was one of 249 across 50 groups in Victoria – including councils, schools and not-for-profit organisations to receive a share of the $1.5 million community roads safety grants program.

It comes as the Transport Accident Commission launched its Living Proof campaign, which shows how measures like child booster seats, wire rope barriers, safer cars and slower speeds were saving lives.

The campaign included a focus on busy “local traffic precincts”, especially with vulnerable road users like children.

TAC lead road safety director Samantha Cockfield said all motorists needed to play their part to keep themselves and others safe by making the right choices.

“We’re doing everything we can to make our roads safer and more forgiving when the unexpected happens,” she said.